Buckle



NOV. 14; F A S HAE ER BUCKLE Filed July 29, 1929 INVENTOR.

frdzhandlifichafiert A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STAT-Es PATENT. OFFICE BUCKLE Ferdinand A. Schaefer, Baltimore, Md. Application July 29, 19 .9. Serial No. 381,922 1501511115., (01. 24- 186) My invention relates to one-piece buckles and more especially to those having a roughened cross-bar or bars either with or without integral prongs.

Such types of buckles are used principally by the knicker trade on the knee-bandsof knickerbockers to which the cross-bar of the buckle is usually permanently fastened by means of two loops or rivets. To prevent these separate fastening means from slipping along the smooth cross-bar, they must be placed close against the sides of the buckle. Sometimes two or three notches are cut in the edges ofthe cross-bar, close to the sides and center .of the buckleto hold the loop or rivets in place. In such cases, the'fastening means must be accurately placed against the sides or in the notches and tightly drawn in order to avoid side-slip. .Such accurate placement is difficult when machinery is used to sew on or rivet the buckle to a garment, owing to the danger of hittingagainst the sides of the buckle or that part of the edges of the cross bar which are unindented. Since the loopor rivets cannot consequently be accurately placedby machinery on the cross-bar, the means formerly employed against side-slip was inefficient.

The prevention of sideslip is most important. If the buckle is not so firmly attached to the garment as tofbe in-set positionthereon without sideslip, whenever a strain is brought on the buckle, itwill sag to one side and in consequence the strap end will become" twisted, distortedand worn so that the buckle will no longer hold the strap end. It is due to this sideslip thatthe strap ends after the knickerbockeris wornfor some time, frequently flap about, thebuckle'becoming useless. 3

In my invention I'do not depend on the sides of the buckle or on afewnotches to hold the loops or rivets in set positionor on the crossbars By roughening all or a large part of a surface of the cross-bar, I over-come theneed of accurate placement of the fastening means on the cross-bar. I can roughen as'much of thecrossbar as I desire, and the loops have merely to be sewed orthe riyets to be wedgedagainst. any part of such roughened surfaee in order to prevent side-slip. The roughened surface grips the separate fastening means firmly inset position even when the thread or wires are'not tightly drawn over the cross bar.

After a buckle has been fastened permanently to the body of a garment or piece of material, it is most important that the buckle be provided with the most efficient means for holding the free end of a, strap securely in adjusted detach- I T able position thereon. While the strap must be readily attachable and detachable from the buckle, all danger of the strap end slipping must be eliminated.

Heretofore the cross-bars of buckles have been used to fasten the cross-bar permanently in place,

is a fixed strap covering the entire surface of the cross-bar, a small part only of the roughened surface of the cross-bar is covered by the permanent fastening means. The greater part of the roughened surface remains exposed to catch and hold the undersurface of the free end of a str p, when later, it is brought into close contact therewith, on adjusting the strap on the buckle. My novel cross-bar, with its roughened surface, thus overcomesboth sideslip of the buckle on the garment and slippingof the strap end on the buckle. I

Theroughened cross-bar has another function. When prongs, loops, staples or rivets are used to fasten the buckle permanently to the garment suchfastening means cover not more than a small part of the roughened surface. Consequently when the free end of the strap is brought up through an end slot into contact with the exposed roughened surface by being passed over the cross-bar the under surface of the strapend is engaged and held by such roughened surface, the roughened surface does not pierce the fabric unless it isvery thin but merely catches and holds the nap and threads on its under surface. 'This roughening the surface of the cross-bar enables such surface to perform a double function. That part-of the roughened surface which is covered by the Separate fastening-means prevents side slip'while the remainder of the rough- 'ened surfaceholds or cooperates in holding the free end of the strap in adjusted detachable po-v sition on the garment. It will be seen that my- I invention of roughening the whole or a consid-' erable portion'of thecrossbar can be used to prevent sideslip, of theloops, staples or rivets, used as separable fastening means for fastening the buckle to a garment, or the roughened crossbar can be used to hold the free end of the strap in adjusted, detachable position on the buckle, or both uses of the roughened crossbar can be combined.

By substituting sharp points for teeth along the edges of the buckle I obtain certain advantages herein-after set forth. This cross-bar so roughened can be used if preferred with ordinary teeth along the inner edges of the ends of the buckle, to cooperate therewith in holding the free end of the strap.

In all previous types of one piece buckles, teeth, placed on the inner edges or lips on the ends of the buckle are relied on to engage and hold the free end of a strap either by piercing the weave or by friction merely. This use of teeth by concentrating the strain on a few threads, not only serves to distort the weave, but quickly Wears away the strap at the point the teeth penetrate. Moreover the strap in time becomes so twisted out of shape as to become almost useless. These defects have proven a severe handicap to the use of buckles in the knicker trade.

By my invention I overcome all these defects. I spread means for holding the strap end over the buckle, utilizing the cross bar or bars for this purpose, and thus distributing the strain over the strap. Moreover I do not limit myself to the resistance offered by a few threads of the weave, nor to frictional resistance merely but my novel holding means is midway these. I overcome the necessity of using teeth, replacing them with a row of fine points or otherwise scoring the edge and/or top of the cross bar or bars in such manner that the under surface of the strap is caught and held by such roughened surface.

Thus by spreading holding means over the cross bar, as well as by providing a wide choice of specific types of holding means, I distribute the strain over the strap and consequent wear, as well as enable a type of holding means best suited to the fabric to be used.

My buckle, it will be seen, can have integral prongs instead of separate fastening -means.

These integral prongs which fasten the buckle I in set position on the fabric by clinching a strip thereof, may be used on the roughened crossbars as well as on the ordinary smooth crossbars. If a buckle with roughened crossbar is cut with integral prongs, the sole function of the roughened surface of the crossbar is to hold or assist in holding the teeth on the buckle ends in holding the strap ends in adjusted, detachable position on the wearer. I V

The useof integral prongs to fasten the buckle permanently to garments is old, but these old types of four-pronged buckles have certain disadvantages which are overcome in my invention. The difficulty that the old type could not overcome was to provide prongs ofsufficient length to pierce and hold securely the fabric and insure points sticking and'chafing the wearer, as any pull of the strap on the buckle tended to straighten the prongs.

I overcome all these defects which resulted in the prong buckle getting in such disfavor that its use was entirely stopped. By overcoming these defects in my improved prong buckle their use has been again taken up by the trade. I overcome all the defects of the old type by cutting and bending the prongs laterally, parallel to the ends of the buckle.

Irrespective of the relative dimensions of the buckle, throughout this specification the distance from end to end is its length and from side to side is its width, thus the direction the strap end passes through the buckle is longitudinal and the opposite or crosswise direction, transverse or lateral. Prongs and arms are used indiscriminately, differentiating from teeth by their greater length, and in holding by clinching instead of by merely piercing. The surface of the crossbars and ends is inclusive of the edges of these parts of the buckle.

In the accompanying drawing I illustrate a number of different embodiments of my invention.

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the underside of a buckle with two transverse prongs.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a buckle with two transverse arms.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a buckle showing another arrangement of two transverse prongs. 7

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the type of buckle shown in Fig. 2 permanently attached to a strap end.

Fig. 5 is a similar View of a buckle provided with a central cross-bar for permanently wedging the strap end.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a buckle provided with four transverse prongs.

Fig. 7 is a plan View of a two cross-bar buckle with rows of points on the edges.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a one bar buckle having the cross-bar corrugated.

\ Fig. 9 is a'similar View of a buckle showing a cross-bar with circular indentations along its edges.

Fig. 10 is a similar view of a buckle with four transverse prongs cut inside the cross-bar.

Fig. 11 is a similar view of a modified form of two transverse prongs.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged section through Fig. 4.

Figs. 13 and 14 are similar plan views of various forms of roughening the cross-bars.

Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and 10m 12 inclusive show various types of buckles having the integral prongs cut transversely out of the buckle blank, and then bentlaterally downwards until approximatelyperpendicular at their bases. My invention insofar as it relates to integral prongs for buckles does not lie in the number, location or direction of the prongs, but in cutting the prongs transversely of the buckle blank instead of longitudinally, and then bending them downwards laterally from their base until substantially aa of perpendicular at such base to the plane of the nes ifetr In my'invention'it is notnecessary that the prongs or arms be sharp-pointed 'or'that they pierce the fabric, as these prongs shown in Fig. 4 may clinch a strap end without piercing the fabric. In Figs. 1,2, 3, 4', and6, the prongs are based outwards either on the'side or adjacent thereto. As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, after pierc 7 'ing the fabric, these prongs clinch a transverse strip by bending outwards, the points being housed under the sides. In Figs. 2,3 and 4 the prongs clinch'the transverse-strip of fabric by being bent back towards'their original position in the blank. Fig. 10 shows a type having prongs, two bending outwardly and two inwardly, while Fig. 11 has two prongs based centrally and'bending inwardly. I V V In Fig. 1, the one piece buckle frame 1 composed of the ends 2 and the sides 3 has the central cross-bar 4 with the two prongs Bout from within and based near opposite sides of the buckle with points opposed inwards. The prongs are shown of triangular shape bent down perpendicularly to the buckle frame. A row of downward'disposed teeth 11 extend along the inner edge of the ends. These prongs are adapted after piercing a gar ment to be bent outwards clinching along their length a transverse strip of vthe fabricwith their points resting solidly underneath the sides of the frame. To insure that the points do not project beyond the sides of the buckle and enable them to be of suflicient length the base of the prong 15 is removed inwards of the sides of the buckle as explained and specifically claimed in my copending application No. 353,745.,

In Fig. 11 similarly shaped prongs based near the center of the central bar are shown at 5 cut from the metal of the central crossbar, based centrally and directed outwardly towards the sides of the buckle and bent downwards inwardly arms lie spaced parallel to the adjoiningcrossbar '7 sufliciently to enable astrap end to be passed between the arms and the cross-bars. 0n flattening the arms the central slot 23 is closed as shown in Fig. 4;. The strap is thus clinched securely in place.v by the edges of the arms and the inner edges of the adjacentcross-bars. The edges of these arms run parallel so that the arms or prongs are rectangular v and not triangular.

Thus the stripof fabric when clinched is uniform in width, and consequently of uniform strength to resist'any transverse strain. In Fig. 12 which is an enlarged cross section through a-abf Fig. 4 the convexity of each of the arms 6 is curved so that'its edges catch and grip the strap end more securely. The two cross bars 'l, are shown concaved forasimilar purpose. This strap end 2a is shown only in Fig. 4;

In Fig. 3, theprongs 8 are adapted'to fasten on any part of a garment. [They are cut and bent similarly to the arms in Fig. 2, a space being left between the points. When a'tuckorfold of a garment is' .inserted through this space andthe bend'26 at the base is. straightened'as much as the thickness of the fabric will permit'the prongs are flattened out into the slot 23. The points 25 closing towards each other pierce the adjacent fold of fabric, which is slid'along the prongs, so that astrip of the garment when the prongs are flattened out is wedged between the adjacent edges of the prongs8 and the cross-bars '7'.

'In Fig. 5 the center bar 9 is drawn down and the two adjacent cross-bars 7 raised above the buckle frame sufiiciently to enable the strap end to be passed between them. Then the center bar is flattened out into the center slot 23 and the strap end is wedged permanently in the same manner as shown in Fig. 4. V

Fig. 6 shows the four long slender prongs 10 out from the blank along and parallel to" the edges of the center cross-bar- 4. The four prongs pointing inwards away from the sides, towards the center are bent downward perpendicularly and, after piercing the garment, are curled and bent outward until their points 25 take against the sides of the buckle. The large number of long parallel sided slender prongs of this type buckle clinch more strips of the fabric. The shape of the prongs facilitates piercing thick fabrics. v

Fig. 10 shows an arrangement for compactly I cutting from the inside of the broad cross-bar 4 100 four prongs two of which 12 crimp outwards and two 14 crimp inwards. v

The crossbars of all these types of prong buckles can also be roughened as shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, 13 and 14, to engage and hold orassist 105 the buckle ends in holding the free end of the strap in detachable adjusted position on the wearer. g

If separate fastening means such as loops of thread, wire staples or rivets are used instead of prongs, the roughened surface of the cross bars not only serves to engage the free endof the strap, but also as already. explained, holds the separate fastening means against sideslip. Buckles with transverse prongs are especially 11:5 suitable for light fabrics as such prongs clinch much more of the fabric than the separate fastening means can clinch. s I

Fig. '7, shows a three slotted one piece buckle provided with the two cross-bars '7 and adapted for either sewing on or riveting; When rivets are used to fasten this buckle'permanently to a garment they are forcedthrough the center slot 23. The'rows 19 of fine points 22 along the inner sides of the center slot serve to wedge and hold the rivets without preventing the insertion and heading of the rivets in the center slot by machinery. When the buckle is fastened toa gar- V ment by passing or sewing a loop over a cross-bar or bars, therows 19 of fine points on the outer edges of the cross-bars, catch the threads of the loopsor wires of the staples without interfering with the machines incommon use. n

, In my invention I utilize merely the points of teeth discarding the base or body portions of the teeth. These points 22 therefore consist merely of thetips of the teeth. They are designed to catch the under surface of fabric, being too small to penetrate except in case of the thinnest fabrics. Whenthe buckle has not been HO tumbled, these sharp points are shaped like small, sharp V-s, though after tumbling their sharpness may be dulled somewhat. The holding power of a row of these sharp points is gained by the large number'ofthernthat can be placed along an edge iii of the'buckle. They catch the under surface muchfmore readily than teeth can penetrate the fabfic and need n t f e'be bent out of 'the plane of thelbuckle; These points possess sevwith their broad bases and deeper grooves are not suitable to be placed along the edges of crossbars, as this type of buckle is usually attached to garments by sewing, stapling or riveting, and teeth would break'the needles of sewing ma chines and catch against the ends of the rivets, so as to prevent the insertion of the rivet through the center slot. My points are so small that the spring in a needle enables it to readily glance off a point into an adjacent groove. The riveting machine readily forces the rivets intothe center slot, the row of points along the edges merely serving to grip the sides of the rivets. sufficiently to prevent side-slip. The shallow V shaped grooves catch and wedge similarly the threads of the loop or wires of the staple. Moreover at least double the number of points can be placed along an edge than would be possible were teeth used. Moreover another advantage is that the points though sharp are not long enough to pierce and displace the weave of the strap end but serve merely to catch and hold the nap on the surface.

Exactness in placing the separate fastening means on the cross-bar is no longer essential. Rivets may be placed anywhere in the inner slot and loops over any part of the roughened crossbar or bars. The separate fastening means cover only a small number of the points on the edge of the cross-bar. So when the free end of the strap is passed up throughthe end slot 24 and over both cross-bars 7 and then down through the other end slot, the uncovered points on the rows 19 on the outer edges of the cross-bars corne into contact and engage the under surface of the strap and hold or cooperate in holding the free end of the strap in detachable adjusted position on the buckle. The rows of points 19 on the inner edge of the buckle ends 2 similarly engage the upper surface of the strap end Thus all four rows of points cooperate in holding the free end of the strap in detachable adjusted position on the buckle, while the rows of points on the outer edges of the cross-bars grip the separate fastening means and prevent side-slip.

In Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the serrations are merely indicated on the inner edges of the buckle ends which serrations assist the roughened cross-bars in holding the free end of the strap. In Figs. 13 and 14 the edges of the buckle ends are shown with no serrations indicated. The roughened cross-bars in these two figures are alone depended upon to hold the free end of the strap.

In Fig. 8 I show fine corrugations 21 cut transversely across the top of the central bar 4, having its edges and those of the inner edges of the buckle ends 2 serrated by the rows of fine points 19 similar to those on the edges of the slots in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 13 the corrugations 13 adjacent to the and from side to side of the frame, said bar, be

ing roughened over a considerable part in such manner as to hold the threadssewe'dround the bar over such roughened surface from side slip- D whereby the buckle is anchored in set position on a strap or garment.

2. A one-piece buckle formed of a closed frame with ends and sides and having at least one crossbar extending from side to side and designed to be" permanently secured to a strap or garment by separate fastening means, the greater part of the surface of the crossbar being scored in such manner as to catch and hold. said fastening means when brought into contact with any part of such scored surface whereby said scored surface holds the separate fastening means against side slip when the buckle is permanently attached to a garment by said fastening means.

3. A one-piece buckle formed of a closed frame with two ends and two sides and having at least one crossbar based on said sides and dividing the buckle into a plurality of slots, theinner edge of at least one end being provided with a row of fine points adapted on contact with the upper surface of the free end of a strap passed through the end slot and over the crossbar through the other end slot to catch and hold said upper surface and thus detachably hold the strap end in adjusted position on the buckle.

4. A one piece buckle for use on garments formed of a frame with two end and two side members and having at least one crossbar extending from side to side and dividing the interior of the buckle into a plurality of slots, at least one edge of the crossbar being scored in such manner that, after the cross bar has been fastened permanently in desired position. on the garment the exposed scored edge catches and holds the underside of the free end of the strap whenpassed up through the adjacent slot into contact with said edge, whereby the crossbar serves to detachably hold the strap in adjusted position on a wearer.

5. A one'piece buckle having side and end members and two centrally disposed crossbars dividing the interior of the buckle into three slots, the crossbars having a row of fine sharp points along each of the four edges said row of points being designed and adapted to catch the nap on the under surface of a strap passed over the cross-bars, without piercing the weave of the fabric. 7 r .6. A one-piece buckle having side and end members and two centrally disposed crossbars dividing the interior of the buckle into three slots, the four edges of the crossbars and the interior edges of the end walls each: having a row of fine points.

'7. A one piece buckle having side and end members and'at least one centrally disposed crossbar dividingthe interior of the buckle into a plurality of slots, the edges of the crossbar and the inner edges of the ends being roughened in such manner, that, after the cross-bar has been permanently fastened in desired position on a garment the free endof the strap when passed through the end slots into contact with the two opposed edges has one side of the strap end caught and engaged adjustably by the roughness on one edge and the other side of the strap end is caught and engaged by the roughness on the other edge, whereby the roughened edges of the crossbar coact with the roughened edges of the ends in detachably holding the strap end inadju'sted position on a wearer.

8. A one piece buckle comprising a closed frame formed of two ends and two sides, and at least one centrally disposed cross-bar extending from side to side dividing the interior of the buckle into a plurality of slots, and means consisting of serrations on the inner edges of the ends for engaging the free end of a strap and additional means by roughening the surface of the cross-bar in such manner that, after the cross bar has been fastened permanently in desired position on the garment, sufficient of the roughened surface remains exposed to further engage the free end of the strap, when passed through the slots, whereby both ends and crossbar of the buckle coact in holding the free end of the strap in detachable adjusted position on the buckle.

9. A buckle formed from a single blank, having a closed frame consisting of two side and two end members, and at least one central crossbar extending from side to side of the frame dividing the interior of the buckle into a plurality of slots, having on at least one edge of the cross-bar a row of fine points, shaped and adapted so that the point of a needle held in a sewing machine on contact therewith will glance off the point into an adjacent groove, whereby the buckle, when suitably placed on a piece of fabric, can be sewed in set position thereon by the machine, and with grooves, shaped and adapted so that the grooves will catch and wedge the threads whereby, the buckle is anchored against'side-slip.

10. A one-piece buckle having side and end members and at least one centrally disposed cross-bar dividing the interior of the buckle into a plurality of slots, having along the edges of a cross-bar a row of fine points, so shaped and disposed as to wedge and hold separate fastening means for securing the cross-bar to a garment,

roughened surface exposed, then on passing the free end of a strap up through an end slot over said cross-bar and down through another end slot, the under surface of the strap end being brought into close contact with the exposed, roughened surface of the cross-bar, is engaged thereby and strap end held in adjusted, detachable position on the buckle.

12. A method of removably fastening the free end of a strap in adjusted position on a one-piece buckle, consisting in roughening the surface of a cross bar in such manner that after attaching the buckle permanently in adjusted position on a garment by means covering not more than a relatively small portion of the roughened surface of a cross-bar, whereby side-slip is prevented and the greater part of the roughened surface left uncovered, then on passing the free end of a strap up through an end slot, then over said cross-bar and down through another end slot the upper side of the strap end is brought into contact with serrations on the inner edges of the buckle-ends for engaging the strap-end, the underside of the strap-end coming into contact with the exposed, roughened portions of the crossbar, is engaged thereby to coact with the serrations on the buckle-ends for holding the free end of the strap in adjusted, detachable position on the buckle.

13. A one piece buckle having two slots and a center cross bar, serrated along each edge by a row of fine points shaped and disposed in such manner that, after the buckle has been permanently fastened in desired position on a garment, to catch and hold a strap-end, passed through the slots and over the cross-bar, by the underside thereof without displacing the weave of the fab- 14. A one piece two slotted buckle with a central cross bar provided on its sides with a series of alternate ridges and grooves forming fine corrugations thereon, in such manner as .to engage the underside of a strap passed through the slots and over the cross bar, aswell as to hold against side slip, fastening means sewed over the cross bar, into close contact therewith.

15. A one piece two slotted buckle with a central cross bar, provided with indentations along, 

